"It's a pleasure to meet you, Young Master Sung Yujin. I am Halios Helbrit, son of Duke Makellos Helbrit."
He was the successor to Duke Helbrit, the kingdom's chief minister.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, Halios would follow in his father's footsteps and become the next chief minister.
Moreover, he was Yuria's half-brother. Since Yuria harbored deep resentment toward House Helbrit itself, Halios was also a target of her vengeance.
"Sung Yujin Prucus," Sung Yujin replied. "I have long heard of Lord Halios's esteemed reputation. Renowned for your exceptional intellect and widely regarded as the future chief minister, you have earned the full confidence of His Majesty the King. Lord Halios is truly a blessing upon the Rapelli Kingdom."
"Ha ha. You flatter me. I never imagined my reputation would reach as far as the Prucus Territory. And if we're talking about good fortune, Young Master Sung Yujin is equally blessed.
The inventions you've created, especially your cosmetics, have even caught the attention of the Queen herself."
"Oh? Is that true?"
This was quite surprising. I had only distributed my cosmetics within the Prucus Territory and its immediate vicinity.
I never expected rumors of them to reach the royal palace, the very heart of the kingdom. I knew word would spread eventually, but this was happening several times faster than I had anticipated.
"Why would I lie? I heard your cosmetics aren't officially for sale yet. May I ask about your specific plans for them?"
"We don't have anything ready for sale yet, but we expect to officially launch next year."
"I see. If you encounter any difficulties, you can always seek assistance from House Helbrit."
"Haha. Thank you for the offer, even if it's just words."
No matter what, I would never ally with House Helbrit. These people might feign gentlemanly manners, but at their core, they're nothing more than thugs.
Besides, House Helbrit is Yuria's sworn enemy. To me, Yuria's value far outweighs that of House Helbrit.
Gent, Halios, and I engaged in polite conversation, mostly trivial chatter about how delicious the food was or how beautiful the lake in Prucus Territory was.
"By the way, Young Master Sung Yujin..."
"Yes, Lord Halios. Please speak."
"I heard that Young Master Sung Yujin's personal maid has blue hair and emerald eyes. Would it be possible for me to meet her?"
This was about Yuria.
Did he suspect Yuria was Helbrit's illegitimate child? No, it didn't seem to be that far yet.
"She's busy with her duties. You're not of a rank that warrants her attention. Why do you ask?"
"I was simply curious, as she shares my hair and eye color. Besides, I've heard she possesses exceptional beauty..."
"She's just a maid. You'd be disappointed if you met her."
"Hmm. Is that so? I also heard that maid is a relative of Head Butler Prucus. Is that true?"
Knowing Yuria's background meant they had done some prior investigation. They might even be at the stage of suspecting her.
Suspicion is fine. It's just a bit annoying to have their eyes on me.
Even if they suspected Yuria's true identity, they couldn't act rashly. This was the Prucus Territory, after all.
However, the fact that Yuria, whom they planned to use as an assassin, was attracting attention displeased them.
"She's a relative of Butler Hasent. Her village was ravaged by monsters, leaving it in ruins.
She lost her parents and lived in poverty until Butler Hasent brought her to the mansion."
"Oh dear. What a tragic story."
"Still, she's been doing well lately as my personal maid."
After our conversation, I parted ways with Halios under the pretense of greeting other nobles. Though he lacked exceptional swordsmanship or magical prowess, Halios was a dangerous man in many ways.
That bastard...
Over thirty people had gathered. My gaze was drawn to the man at the center of the group a blond man in flamboyant attire, chugging down makgeolli he'd brought from the real world.
"Puh-ha! So this drink is called makgeolli? I like its unique flavor!"
Aiden Rapelli.
Prince of the Rapelli Kingdom. Despite being the king's eldest son, he hadn't been named Crown Prince due to his questionable conduct.
Yet, with only a younger sister as his heir, Aiden was almost certain to become the next king.
Aiden enjoys the secret support of House Helbrit and several other nobles. From their perspective, it's easier to gain unfair advantages if the incompetent Aiden becomes king.
In the original story, Aiden ultimately fails to become king, and his wise younger sister inherits the throne.
Eileen Rapelli.
Aiden's younger sister and a princess of the Rapelli Kingdom. She's also one of the five heroines. I scanned the crowd for her, but she wasn't there. It seems she didn't attend this banquet.
Is Eileen still biding her time?
In the original story, Princess Eileen inherits the throne with significant help from Kyle. And in one of the endings, she marries the hero Kyle, becoming one of the heroines who achieves a happy ending.
Hmm. Should I align myself with Eileen?
I still hadn't decided which side to align with the Prince or the Princess. Each had its own advantages and disadvantages.
Aiden is easy to manipulate. The problem is that the entire kingdom could crumble if he takes the throne. But the House Helbrit, his supporters, will eventually be wiped out anyway, so I don't need to worry about them.
The incompetent Prince.
Eileen is harder to control, but she's an excellent administrator. If she becomes queen, the kingdom will remain stable.
The wise Princess.
If the kingdom collapses, my business will suffer. Conversely, if the kingdom thrives, my business will prosper.
But considering the opportunities I could exploit with a foolish king, I can't rashly choose Eileen.
I haven't even launched my business properly yet... There's no need to commit to a side right now. I should observe the situation a little longer.
Of course, I'll bed Eileen. I'll bed a princess of this nation.
Slurp. I wonder what a princess's pussy tastes like.
Marrying Princess Eileen might be an option, but it doesn't appeal to me much. If I did, I'd become the Queen's consort, but Count Prucus wields more real power.
"This liquor is called soju? Hmm, it has a subtle flavor!"
I averted my gaze from Aiden. Gent and Halios were here; there was no need to approach Aiden and risk unnecessary misunderstandings.
"Young Master Sung Yujin Prucus?"
Someone called out to me. I turned to face them. They were unfamiliar faces.
I scanned their bodies, knowing that nobles typically bear their family's crest somewhere on their person. I found the crest, but it was a design I'd never seen before.
"I've memorized every noble family crest in the Rapelli Kingdom for this very day. If I don't recognize it, it means you're not a noble."
In this case, the most likely explanation was that he was a wealthy merchant.
"Yes, I'm Sung Yujin Prucus. And you are?"
"It's a pleasure to meet you! I'm Meil, head of the Orrell Merchant Guild. I'm eager to discuss the cosmetics you've developed, Young Master Sung Yujin."
"Young Master Sung Yujin! I'm Nozia from the Mutren Merchant Guild! I'm interested in everything you've created cosmetics, tobacco, perfumes, you name it!"
The merchants began vying for my attention, each trying to outdo the others. Even the Magic Tower had joined the fray.
I smiled. One of my goals for attending the banquet was to familiarize myself with them.
"Please calm down, everyone. I'm willing to speak with all of you."
Just speak. Nothing more.
Midway through the banquet, Ention and Ellaine's arrival further elevated the atmosphere. For the next three days, the banquet hall's lights would not be extinguished.
First day of the banquet.
It wasn't until 5 a.m. that I finally left the banquet hall.
First, I approached my retainers and greeted them, reaffirming my presence and making my face known to them once more.
Then, I endured a long barrage from the magicians and merchants affiliated with the Magic Tower. Rumors about modern goods had spread far more widely than I had anticipated.
The second day of the banquet was much the same. Magicians and merchants continued to pester me relentlessly.
The magicians approached me to uncover the secrets behind the products I was rumored to have developed. Since modern items weren't created using magic, their conventional understanding of manufacturing methods proved useless.
I dodged their questions as diplomatically as possible. Manufacturing methods?
Honestly, I didn't know much myself. I simply purchased finished goods from the modern world and sold them here essentially, I was hoarding and reselling.
The merchants, on the other hand, were more interested in the buying and selling aspects than the manufacturing process. After all, that's the nature of business. I remained equally vague with them.
At midnight on the second day, a duel broke out among the nobles.
Two nobles drew their swords to fight over a noble lady. In short, it was a lovers' quarrel.
Blood flowed across the banquet hall, but the guests weren't disgusted. On the contrary, they were thrilled. It was then that I was reminded anew that this world was a medieval fantasy.
On the third and final day of the banquet, an accident occurred.
Alcohol is the root of all evil.
This truth holds as much weight here as it does in reality. Even nobles are human, and humans get drunk when they drink alcohol.
Of course, most people know how to control their drinking. Nobles, in particular, must be even more careful. But humans are prone to making mistakes.
In short, one of the vassals got drunk and caused an incident.
He was a young noble who had recently inherited the title of Baron. He had drunk about two bottles of wine and three bottles of soju.
"Count Ention Prucus!"
The man's voice was clear and distinct. If he hadn't been swaying on his feet, one might have thought he wasn't drunk at all.
As the music had just ended, the man's voice echoed loudly through the banquet hall. All eyes turned toward him.
"Baron Jukai. Do you have something to say to me?" Ention remained as ever calm and composed.
"I can't stand the curiosity any longer!"
"What are you so curious about?"
"The Prucus successor! All the other Great Lords have already named their successors!
For the sake of the future, isn't it time for Your Excellency to appoint your own successor?!"
"..."
Everyone was stunned. Was it the audacity of youth? Even drunk, no one would have dared to ask such a question directly to Ention's face.
Yet it was also a question that scratched an itch that had been festering for too long.
All eyes turned to Ention.
"I have not yet chosen a successor."
"...Why?! Doesn't Prince Gent possess the capabilities to succeed Your Excellency?"
The young noble seemed to have aligned himself with Gent, likely growing anxious over Ention's continued delay in naming an heir.
"Gent is exceptional. But my second son, Kyle, is equally talented. Sung Yujin also possesses the qualities of a clan leader."
I desperately maintained a neutral expression. The fact that Ention had mentioned my name meant I was being considered as a potential successor.
"Young Masters Kyle and Sung Yujin are still too young."
"They have both undergone their coming-of-age ceremonies. Kyle and Sung Yujin are no longer children."
"...When exactly do you plan to name a successor?"
"How dare you speak so disrespectfully, Baron Jukai."
Ention surveyed the room. The vassals of Prucus were all staring at him intently.
To them, the matter of succession was of paramount importance, as it concerned the next ruler. The moment Ention named a successor, the vassals would become exceedingly busy.
I doubted even Ention could simply dismiss the current situation.
"Prucus's successor will be determined when the time is right."
In the end, there was no clear answer. The vassals sighed in unison.
With those words, Ention left the banquet hall.
No matter how I think about it, I can't understand Ention's intentions.
Why is Ention dragging his feet on naming a successor? It's good for me, but terrible for the family.
And Ention is even more autocratic than I thought.
The vassals must be growing increasingly dissatisfied with Ention. Perhaps I can exploit this discontent.